By Moses Gyokson, SF Nigeria staff. Photo by Sam Casey
Coach Icy, Gambo, Seken and Wendy are using trainings they got from Sports Friends Nigeria to bring a wholistic change in lives of families in their communities. They have youth from different churches attending their sports discipleship program. They use fun games, soccer, high jump, and 100 meters race to teach young people lessons on their spiritual, physical, social and mental lives. This has helped a lot in making kids responsible and other coaches and kids are coming to learn what God has blessed this team with. The coaches have received calls from different churches to come talk with youth leaders, youth members, and parents. Apart from meeting with the kids on the field of play, these coaches visit them in their homes as friends, and as they do that, they get to know both the kids and their families. This has brought the families closer and also given the coaches opportunity to evangelize to family members through relationship. The kids visit these coaches too, and both groups are open to each other as they share their weaknesses, strengths, testimony, etc.
Recently, the team played a football tournament for boys at Hill Crest school in Jos. The coaches decided to include four girls in the 20-squad list because winning to them is playing the way Christ will play, transformed life, having a new convert. But at the end, they won the game too! However, it was not the winning that was important as they always give God glory whether they win or lose. The important thing was the good comments made by their opponents, parents, and spectators about their attitude on and off the pitch. With every game, they had more people coming to watch them. And after the championship game, the secretary of the church told the coaches that from next year the team will be using the new bus the church just bought when travelling for games or programs. And one thing the kids always tell their parents during Christmas season is not to go beyond their means buying clothes, gifts, and assorted food for them for they know Christmas is more than eating and drinking. These coaches have poured so much into these kids and you too can do the same in the lives of coaches. Contribute only $75 today to train a coach who can also transform a community! Learn more at: